


Finding a Balance

by miss_tatiana



Category: No Evil (Web Series)
Genre: Family, Fluff, amaroq is a glorified babysitter, charles is a villain with a soul, i just wanted to explore their dynamic ok, im a sucker for family stuff, im just .. i know he's evil but he's just a kid and i dont want people to straight up hate him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-10
Updated: 2017-07-10
Packaged: 2018-11-30 10:05:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11461341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miss_tatiana/pseuds/miss_tatiana
Summary: “Kids should have grown ups to look after them,” murmured Angel carefully. She was worried that Charles would take what she was trying to say the wrong way. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him to manage things, or that she thought he was immature. Just, eventually, everyone needed a parent.-set after the episode where angel kidnaps kitty. i really wanted to delve into the family aspect of angel and charles' relationship and give charles some redeeming features.





	Finding a Balance

“Why was that fox spirit here?” Charles asked sharply as he came in through the door, Amaroq behind him. 

Angel noticed the new markings around his eyes, but decided to brush away the shivers it gave her. She let one of her skulls land on her arm, which she held up like a falconer. “Oh, Kitty? I just wanted to talk with her about something.”

“Something?” Charles asked, hanging his overshirt on the wall. “You realize they’re trying to stop me, right?”

“It wasn’t about that, Charles, don’t be silly,” Angel assured him, still smiling as she tilted her head. “I just thought that maybe we could use someone to keep things tidy around the house, and make sure we get places safely, and-”

Charles squinted at her. “We have Amaroq for that.” He gestured vaguely behind him towards the window, through which Angel could see Amaroq putting away the cart he used to pull Charles around.

“Different from Amaroq, though,” Angel persisted, setting the skull down on a nearby shelf, where it fluttered and clacked its teeth. “Don’t you want someone to make us breakfast, or tell us stories, or tuck us in at bedtime?”

Charles sat down on one of the pillows that practically lined the floor. “What makes you say that?”

Angel sat beside him, snapping her fingers and snuggling into the undead blanket creature that wrapped itself around her. She sighed. “Charles, I’m worried about you. I know that I’m the little sister and you’re the big brother, but I feel like I’m taking care of everything.”

Charles’ expression softened, his mistrust melting away. “You’re worried about me? Angel, I’m fine.”

“I know you have big plans, and you’re trying to do these amazing things, but I think you forgot that you’re just a kid. We’re both just kids,” Angel said, pulling her blanket creature tighter around her. 

“I-” Charles scoffed quietly. “I know I’m a kid.”

“Kids should have grown ups to look after them,” murmured Angel carefully. She was worried that Charles would take what she was trying to say the wrong way. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him to manage things, or that she thought he was immature. Just, eventually, everyone needed a parent.

“Angel, we don’t need-” Charles signed, rubbing his hand over his new markings. “I’ll take care of you, okay? You don’t need to worry about anything.”

“I’m not worried about me!” Angel squeaked. “I’m worried about you, I already said!”

Charles looked up at her, and he did look years beyond his age. “Okay. Explain what you have in mind, and I’ll consider it.” 

Angel grinned, clasping her hands together. “So, I noticed how well Kajortoq looks after all the other spirits, and how she’s good at gardens, and sewing, and spinning, and I thought, we should have someone like that to take care of us. I tried to think up easier options than having to ask her- I even tried making a mom-” She pointed to a pile of rags and a skull heaped in the corner. “-but nothing really worked, so I had Brom pick her up and bring her here.”

Charles raised his eyebrows, the new markings shining strangely in the candlelight. He took a breath, like he was going to say something, but then prompted Angel to go on with a wave of his hand. 

“I talked to her, and I asked her very nicely to be our mother, with please and thank you just like you taught me,” Angel explained. Then she shrugged, looking down. “She said no.”

Charles sat back on his heels, letting out the breath he’d held and appearing more relaxed. “I’m sorry, Angel.”

“I’ll keep trying, though. I think she’ll say yes eventually.” Angel smiled, feeling hopeful that one day, they’d get a real mother.

“No, Angel- Angel-” Charles sighed, and he looked deeply sorrowful, like what she’d said had cut into him. “I’m sorry that you need to look for somebody to be our mom. I should be looking after you. I’m your big brother, after all.” 

Angel bit her lip. She’d hurt him, and that was what she’d wanted to avoid. She wasn’t trying to make him think he should do any more - he was already trying to do too much. “Charles, that wasn’t what I meant-”

“It’s okay.” Charles smiled a little bit, and for the first time, Angel saw the markings not as something sinister, but simply as a pretty decoration. “I spend too much time away from home. I should be here, with you, not out every night on silly missions.”

“Charles, you need to do your tasks,” Angel countered. “They’re more important than me, you’re going to change the world!”

Charles shook his head. “They’re not more important than you. I need to learn to-” He made a scale motion with his hands. “-to balance these things. If I focus just on my work, I really will forget I’m a kid. I’ll- I’ll stay home tomorrow, okay?”

“Really?” Angel’s voice cracked, and a smile spread across her face.

Nodding, Charles pulled her into a hug. “We don’t need a mom, we just need to be there for each other.”

Angel smiled into his shoulder. “Thanks, Charles. You’re the best big brother ever.” When she sat back down on her pillow, she was still grinning. 

“I’m not the-” Charles stopped himself, looking at the smile on Angel’s face. “I’m going to try to be better.”

The door creaked open, and Amaroq strode in. He looked from Charles to Angel, noting a change in the air of the house. “What just happened?” he asked gruffly, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Something just happened, didn’t it?”

Angel sprang up and snapped her fingers, another blanket creature slithering off the wall and wrapping itself around Amaroq. “You don’t need to worry about dealing with Kitty. I saw how you glared at her. You guys don’t need to live together, she’s not coming back.” 

Amaroq exchanged glances with Charles, who shrugged. “That’s dandy, Angie,” he grumbled in his usual fashion, messing up her hair with a paw. 

Angel sat back down next to Charles. “I think,” she said, nudging his shoulder with hers, “we really do have a family.”


End file.
